Voter registration turns tragic in Kogi as 40 abducted, 31 rescued by troops

Voter registration turns tragic in Kogi as 40 abducted, 31 rescued by troops

Tension has gripped parts of Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State after over 40 persons returning from a Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) exercise were abducted by gunmen along the Dekina–Ajiyolo–Anyigba road on Friday evening, November 7, 2025.

The victims, mostly residents of Abocho community and neighbouring villages, had chartered a bus to Dekina, the local government headquarters, to register in the ongoing voter registration exercise.

Eyewitnesses said the group was ambushed by over 20 armed men around 6 p.m. on their way back from the registration centre. The attackers reportedly forced all passengers out of the bus and whisked them into the nearby forest.

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The incident caused widespread panic across the area as news of the abduction spread rapidly, prompting security forces and local vigilantes to mobilise for a rescue operation.

According to sources, troops from the 12 Brigade, Lokoja, working with the local security network, pursued the kidnappers and successfully rescued 31 of the abducted victims, while about 10 others, including the bus driver, remain in captivity.

An eyewitness recounted the tense moments during the rescue effort, saying the kidnappers initially released some victims to distract security agents.

“The kidnappers played a fast one on us. They released about 31 victims, and we thought that was all. Before we realised their trick, they had escaped with about 10 others,” the source said.

The rescued victims and the recovered bus were taken to the Abocho Police Station, while search and rescue operations for the remaining abductees continued as of press time.

Security agencies have vowed to intensify operations to track down the kidnappers and ensure the safe return of all remaining victims.

Efforts to reach the Kogi State Police Public Relations Officer, SP William Ovye, were unsuccessful as calls to his phone went unanswered at the time of filing this report.

Voter registration turns tragic in Kogi as 40 abducted, 31 rescued by troops